


leave the lights on when you stay

by fearme_idoballet (dumblonde64)



Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies), The Avengers (Marvel) - All Media Types
Genre: 5 times Loki helped someone and 1 time they helped him, 5+1, Gen, Genderfluid Loki, Loki isn't A Bad Guy, Loki just needs some love, and he's perfectly happy being an asshole, but he's also a softie, like he's an asshole, loki is secretly a big softie
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-04-04
Updated: 2020-05-09
Packaged: 2021-03-01 04:14:30
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 761
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23479063
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/dumblonde64/pseuds/fearme_idoballet
Summary: See, the thing about Loki is that he wasn’t actually a bad guy. He just acted like one.5 times Loki helped someone and 1 time they helped him.
Relationships: Loki & Avengers Team, Loki & Peter Parker, Peter Parker & Tony Stark
Comments: 20
Kudos: 139





	1. 0 - The thing about Loki

**Author's Note:**

  * For [CarrotsNHorses](https://archiveofourown.org/users/CarrotsNHorses/gifts).



> I've had this sitting in my WIP folder for months so I just decided to go ahead and post what I have and make it a multi-chapter fic. Hopefully posting what I have will get me to finish it.
> 
> Title is from MCR Fake Your Death because...well. It's Loki.

The thing about Loki is that he wasn’t a bad guy. He just acted like one. 

The thing about Loki is that his whole life, people expected him to be ‘bad’. The trickster, the jerk, the lesser brother. 

The thing about Loki is that he can’t stand to let people down. It tears at him, from the inside out, until he feels that he could break into a million tiny pieces and no one would care. 

The thing about Loki is that he’s angry. He’s angry, and lonely, and weighed down but what people want, people expect, and he can’t quite bring himself to be the good guy. He can’t quite bring himself to behave, to shove himself into their tiny little boxes, all to make them happy, when they don’t even care how he feels. Why should he care how his actions make them feel, when they never cared how theirs pulled at him?

The thing about Loki is that he can’t stand to let people down, but he can’t stomach the thought of playing along.

The thing about Loki is that he’s always on the verge of breaking, of shattering. He’s always letting people down, because what else can he do, in this life where all there is for him is disappointment?

The thing about Loki is that on the inside, he’s soft and gooey, with blood and guts and bones that break. 

The thing about Loki is that no matter how much he pretends he’s bulletproof, a bullet hitting a Kevlar vest still leaves a bruise. 

The thing about Loki is sometimes his armour gets so heavy he can’t help but take it off.


	2. Baby Potatoes

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Loki meets Peter.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm sorry this took so long. I have...no excuse. And after all of you so kindly harassed me in the comments like I asked you to, as well!
> 
> This was initially meant to be completely different, where Loki was already friends with Peter and there are a lot more feels, and it was going to be a lot longer but this happened instead. I still want to do that, but I just need to post this or it'll never happen. 
> 
> please let me know if there are any typos at all :)

When Loki first met Peter, he was wary. He always was, with people. They mainly either hated him, thought he was evil, or wanted to use him, exploit his magic or his cunning. He had learned to keep his distance. This time, however, he didn’t have a chance. Turning a corner, something -- someone -- barreled into him, knocking them both on the ground. 

“Oh my god, I am so sorry! I wasn’t looking where I was going, that’s totally on me, I’m so sorry! Are you okay?” The boy who crashed into him spoke in a hyper, rambling manner, rushing around to pick up the many items (were those baby potatoes?) that had spilled in the impact. 

“Ah...it’s okay.” Loki said hesitantly, rather caught off guard. He watched the boy rush around collecting the absurd amount of baby potatoes.

“What on Earth are you doing?” He finally blurted, unable to hold it in. This was just...too odd.

The boy paused, eight potatoes in his hand and reaching for another one and looked at him, frowning thoughtfully. He seemed to come to a decision, and straightened up, putting the potatoes into a sack. 

“I’ll tell you, but only if you pinky promise that you won’t tell anyone,” He said gravely, holding out his pinky finger.

Loki stared at him, but the boy just wiggled his pinky around in Loki’s face, not backing down.

“You’re serious,” he said finally. The boy nodded solemnly. 

“It’s a sacred pact” he stated loftily, brown eyes wide and guileless. 

Loki sighed. This was ridiculous, but at least entertaining. He extended his pinky and shook it with the boy’s, rolling his eyes as he did so.

The boy jumped up, eyes bright.

“Okay! So basically, I’m going to make a giant thing of mashed potatoes in the bathtub to prank Mr. Stark. I chose baby potatoes, because hopefully they’ll cook better since they’re smaller and a bathtub isn’t as hot as a pot of water on a stove and… ooh! You should totally join! It’ll be fun!” he rambled at a hyper pace.

“One question. Why not just make a bunch of potatoes like normal and pour them into the bathtub? Or use instant mashed potatoes?” Loki asked, deciding that that was the part he was going to focus on from…all that.

“It’s about the _aesthetic_ ,” the boy sighed, sounding very much like someone who was tired of explaining it. “If you don’t get it, I can’t explain it to you. It’s something _felt_ , not taught.” He shook his head, seemingly disappointed. Immediately, his face broke out into a grin again.

“Anyway! Wanna help?” he asked, grinning.

Loki paused. He should say no, avoid inevitably getting in trouble but...it seemed harmless, and honestly? He really wanted to join in.

“Why not?”

“Awesome!” the boy cheered, hefting the sack of potatoes over his shoulder. “I’m Peter, by the way.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> the squiggly red line is under the impression that pinky fingers do not exist. 
> 
> Comments feed my soul. Feel free to harrass me to hurry up and write. Actually, I still took forever so maybe a stronger approach is needed. Physically assault me in comments I guess.

**Author's Note:**

> Feel free to harass me in the comment about getting this done. Actually, please do.


End file.
